Travel Retail is the business mainly revolving around airports, airplanes, cruise ships, and downtown duty free stores.
The four main channels make up the industry,
each being entirely different from another.
Passenger profiles, buying behavior and business dynamics vary across each channel.
Airports
Shops in the departure and arrival areas of airports worldwide, enabling air transport travelers to experience shopping on the go. It constitutes the biggest channel in the Travel Retail Industry, in terms of sales and number of passengers, and is the main driver for the industry’s growth.
Airplanes
Shopping available during flights, whether pre-ordered or purchased inflight, through either digital entertainment offerings or printed catalogs. A channel that has the undivided attention of passengers but requires select strategic products with attention to detail to guarantee success.
Cruise ships
Opportunities to shop at sea while traveling internationally from port to port, enabling passengers to use the extensive travel hours to repeatedly explore the Travel Retail offerings. A channel with a strong growth trajectory, especially due to the increasing attraction of younger travelers.
Downtown duty free
Shopping opportunities that allow international travelers to either directly purchase tax-free goods or reserve them for pickup after customs at the airport. A channel that is aimed at addressing the fast-growing trend of duty-free shopping outside the usual channels, specifically in the Asia-Pacific region.
Global Travel Retail Industry.
Market overview
Market size 2017-2025
(USD billion, %)
Over the past 15 years, the combined revenue of the Travel Retail market globally has seen a growth that is double that of any other offline retail channel. It is currently being valued at USD ~88 billion and is projected to skyrocket to USD ~154 billion by 2025.
​
It is a tremendous opportunity for brands to substantially increase their visibility, customer loyalty and recruit new customers across different geographies.
​
A highly attractive market with more than 4 billion airline passengers alone annually, a number that is expected to double between 2019 and 2037 (Source: IATA).
Drivers for growth
Continuous growth of global travel and tourism.
Driver #1
Steady increase in disposable income.
Driver #2
Increasing growth in global urbanization.
Driver #3
Want to capitalize on this growth momentum?
A market size and growth industry that is often underestimated.
Numerous indirect benefits complement the already significant monetary growth.